EP1671381A4 - Cylindrical battery cell having improved power characteristics and methods of manufacturing same - Google Patents
Cylindrical battery cell having improved power characteristics and methods of manufacturing sameInfo
- Publication number
- EP1671381A4 EP1671381A4 EP04752234A EP04752234A EP1671381A4 EP 1671381 A4 EP1671381 A4 EP 1671381A4 EP 04752234 A EP04752234 A EP 04752234A EP 04752234 A EP04752234 A EP 04752234A EP 1671381 A4 EP1671381 A4 EP 1671381A4
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- housing
- electrode
- cell
- terminal
- battery cell
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Withdrawn
Links
- 238000004519 manufacturing process Methods 0.000 title claims description 24
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims description 20
- 238000004891 communication Methods 0.000 claims abstract description 56
- 239000011701 zinc Substances 0.000 claims description 28
- NUJOXMJBOLGQSY-UHFFFAOYSA-N manganese dioxide Chemical compound O=[Mn]=O NUJOXMJBOLGQSY-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 27
- HCHKCACWOHOZIP-UHFFFAOYSA-N Zinc Chemical compound [Zn] HCHKCACWOHOZIP-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 claims description 25
- 229910052725 zinc Inorganic materials 0.000 claims description 24
- 239000007772 electrode material Substances 0.000 claims description 13
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 claims description 8
- 238000003825 pressing Methods 0.000 claims description 3
- 230000008901 benefit Effects 0.000 abstract description 9
- 238000010276 construction Methods 0.000 abstract description 9
- 238000012512 characterization method Methods 0.000 abstract description 2
- KWYUFKZDYYNOTN-UHFFFAOYSA-M Potassium hydroxide Chemical compound [OH-].[K+] KWYUFKZDYYNOTN-UHFFFAOYSA-M 0.000 description 42
- 238000013461 design Methods 0.000 description 34
- 238000012360 testing method Methods 0.000 description 17
- 239000003792 electrolyte Substances 0.000 description 16
- 238000003780 insertion Methods 0.000 description 13
- 230000037431 insertion Effects 0.000 description 13
- 239000000758 substrate Substances 0.000 description 13
- XLOMVQKBTHCTTD-UHFFFAOYSA-N zinc oxide Inorganic materials [Zn]=O XLOMVQKBTHCTTD-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 13
- 229910052751 metal Inorganic materials 0.000 description 12
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 12
- 239000000203 mixture Substances 0.000 description 7
- 238000007906 compression Methods 0.000 description 6
- 230000006835 compression Effects 0.000 description 6
- 239000008188 pellet Substances 0.000 description 6
- 230000008569 process Effects 0.000 description 6
- 239000011787 zinc oxide Substances 0.000 description 6
- 229960001296 zinc oxide Drugs 0.000 description 6
- 239000011149 active material Substances 0.000 description 5
- 239000010406 cathode material Substances 0.000 description 5
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- 229910001297 Zn alloy Inorganic materials 0.000 description 3
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- 238000009792 diffusion process Methods 0.000 description 3
- 239000000835 fiber Substances 0.000 description 3
- 238000002156 mixing Methods 0.000 description 3
- PXHVJJICTQNCMI-UHFFFAOYSA-N nickel Substances [Ni] PXHVJJICTQNCMI-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 3
- 238000007493 shaping process Methods 0.000 description 3
- 239000000243 solution Substances 0.000 description 3
- OKTJSMMVPCPJKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N Carbon Chemical compound [C] OKTJSMMVPCPJKN-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 229920002134 Carboxymethyl cellulose Polymers 0.000 description 2
- RYGMFSIKBFXOCR-UHFFFAOYSA-N Copper Chemical compound [Cu] RYGMFSIKBFXOCR-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 229920002125 Sokalan® Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 229920002472 Starch Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 229910000831 Steel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 2
- 239000000654 additive Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000001768 carboxy methyl cellulose Substances 0.000 description 2
- 235000010948 carboxy methyl cellulose Nutrition 0.000 description 2
- 239000008112 carboxymethyl-cellulose Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000000576 coating method Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000001186 cumulative effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 230000003247 decreasing effect Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000003349 gelling agent Substances 0.000 description 2
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- 239000011159 matrix material Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000012986 modification Methods 0.000 description 2
- 230000004048 modification Effects 0.000 description 2
- 229920003023 plastic Polymers 0.000 description 2
- 239000004033 plastic Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000004584 polyacrylic acid Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000000843 powder Substances 0.000 description 2
- 230000027756 respiratory electron transport chain Effects 0.000 description 2
- 239000002904 solvent Substances 0.000 description 2
- 235000019698 starch Nutrition 0.000 description 2
- 239000010959 steel Substances 0.000 description 2
- 239000000725 suspension Substances 0.000 description 2
- 238000010977 unit operation Methods 0.000 description 2
- SZKTYYIADWRVSA-UHFFFAOYSA-N zinc manganese(2+) oxygen(2-) Chemical compound [O--].[O--].[Mn++].[Zn++] SZKTYYIADWRVSA-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 2
- 229910001369 Brass Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 229920002633 Kraton (polymer) Polymers 0.000 description 1
- 229910010716 LiFeS2 Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- GPVWCGHDIGTNCE-UHFFFAOYSA-N [Fe](=S)=S.[Li] Chemical compound [Fe](=S)=S.[Li] GPVWCGHDIGTNCE-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- GOPYZMJAIPBUGX-UHFFFAOYSA-N [O-2].[O-2].[Mn+4] Chemical compound [O-2].[O-2].[Mn+4] GOPYZMJAIPBUGX-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 230000002745 absorbent Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000002250 absorbent Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000010521 absorption reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000006230 acetylene black Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000012670 alkaline solution Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000003466 anti-cipated effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000013459 approach Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000000712 assembly Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000000429 assembly Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000010951 brass Substances 0.000 description 1
- OJIJEKBXJYRIBZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N cadmium nickel Chemical compound [Ni].[Cd] OJIJEKBXJYRIBZ-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 239000006182 cathode active material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000008859 change Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000006243 chemical reaction Methods 0.000 description 1
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- 230000002860 competitive effect Effects 0.000 description 1
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- 239000002482 conductive additive Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000011231 conductive filler Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000004020 conductor Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910052802 copper Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000010949 copper Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000011889 copper foil Substances 0.000 description 1
- 230000007423 decrease Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000007598 dipping method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 238000007599 discharging Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000005518 electrochemistry Effects 0.000 description 1
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- 238000001125 extrusion Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000002349 favourable effect Effects 0.000 description 1
- 230000004907 flux Effects 0.000 description 1
- 239000011888 foil Substances 0.000 description 1
- 229910002804 graphite Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000010439 graphite Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000011810 insulating material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 150000002500 ions Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 239000002648 laminated material Substances 0.000 description 1
- WABPQHHGFIMREM-UHFFFAOYSA-N lead(0) Chemical compound [Pb] WABPQHHGFIMREM-UHFFFAOYSA-N 0.000 description 1
- 229910052987 metal hydride Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 229910052759 nickel Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- -1 nickel metal hydride Chemical class 0.000 description 1
- 238000012856 packing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000036961 partial effect Effects 0.000 description 1
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- 229910052709 silver Inorganic materials 0.000 description 1
- 239000004332 silver Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000002002 slurry Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000005507 spraying Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000126 substance Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000004094 surface-active agent Substances 0.000 description 1
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- 238000004804 winding Methods 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H01M50/00—Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the non-active parts of electrochemical cells other than fuel cells, e.g. hybrid cells
- H01M50/50—Current conducting connections for cells or batteries
- H01M50/528—Fixed electrical connections, i.e. not intended for disconnection
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H01M10/00—Secondary cells; Manufacture thereof
- H01M10/04—Construction or manufacture in general
- H01M10/0413—Large-sized flat cells or batteries for motive or stationary systems with plate-like electrodes
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H01M10/00—Secondary cells; Manufacture thereof
- H01M10/04—Construction or manufacture in general
- H01M10/045—Cells or batteries with folded plate-like electrodes
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H01M10/00—Secondary cells; Manufacture thereof
- H01M10/04—Construction or manufacture in general
- H01M10/0459—Cells or batteries with folded separator between plate-like electrodes
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H01M4/00—Electrodes
- H01M4/02—Electrodes composed of, or comprising, active material
- H01M4/24—Electrodes for alkaline accumulators
- H01M4/244—Zinc electrodes
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H01M4/00—Electrodes
- H01M4/02—Electrodes composed of, or comprising, active material
- H01M4/24—Electrodes for alkaline accumulators
- H01M4/26—Processes of manufacture
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H01M4/00—Electrodes
- H01M4/02—Electrodes composed of, or comprising, active material
- H01M4/36—Selection of substances as active materials, active masses, active liquids
- H01M4/48—Selection of substances as active materials, active masses, active liquids of inorganic oxides or hydroxides
- H01M4/50—Selection of substances as active materials, active masses, active liquids of inorganic oxides or hydroxides of manganese
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H01M50/00—Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the non-active parts of electrochemical cells other than fuel cells, e.g. hybrid cells
- H01M50/10—Primary casings; Jackets or wrappings
- H01M50/102—Primary casings; Jackets or wrappings characterised by their shape or physical structure
- H01M50/105—Pouches or flexible bags
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H01M50/00—Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the non-active parts of electrochemical cells other than fuel cells, e.g. hybrid cells
- H01M50/10—Primary casings; Jackets or wrappings
- H01M50/102—Primary casings; Jackets or wrappings characterised by their shape or physical structure
- H01M50/107—Primary casings; Jackets or wrappings characterised by their shape or physical structure having curved cross-section, e.g. round or elliptic
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H01M50/00—Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the non-active parts of electrochemical cells other than fuel cells, e.g. hybrid cells
- H01M50/40—Separators; Membranes; Diaphragms; Spacing elements inside cells
- H01M50/463—Separators, membranes or diaphragms characterised by their shape
- H01M50/466—U-shaped, bag-shaped or folded
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H01M6/00—Primary cells; Manufacture thereof
- H01M6/04—Cells with aqueous electrolyte
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H01M6/00—Primary cells; Manufacture thereof
- H01M6/04—Cells with aqueous electrolyte
- H01M6/06—Dry cells, i.e. cells wherein the electrolyte is rendered non-fluid
- H01M6/10—Dry cells, i.e. cells wherein the electrolyte is rendered non-fluid with wound or folded electrodes
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H01M2300/00—Electrolytes
- H01M2300/0002—Aqueous electrolytes
- H01M2300/0014—Alkaline electrolytes
-
- H—ELECTRICITY
- H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
- H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- H01M50/00—Constructional details or processes of manufacture of the non-active parts of electrochemical cells other than fuel cells, e.g. hybrid cells
- H01M50/10—Primary casings; Jackets or wrappings
- H01M50/102—Primary casings; Jackets or wrappings characterised by their shape or physical structure
- H01M50/103—Primary casings; Jackets or wrappings characterised by their shape or physical structure prismatic or rectangular
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02E60/00—Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
- Y02E60/10—Energy storage using batteries
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
- Y10T—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION
- Y10T29/00—Metal working
- Y10T29/49—Method of mechanical manufacture
- Y10T29/49002—Electrical device making
- Y10T29/49108—Electric battery cell making
Definitions
- the present invention generally relates to electrochemical battery cells. More particularly, the invention relates to electrochemical battery cells, such as alkaline cells, having improved power and energy delivery capability through increased surface area interface between electrode components.
- Alkaline batteries based on manganese dioxide cathodes and zinc anodes are widely used for consumer portable electronic applications.
- Zinc and manganese dioxide are inexpensive, safe and environmentally benign and the system provides good energy density.
- these standard alkaline products have long offered a simple and convenient universal solution for an array of electronic products.
- personal digital assistants, MP3 recorders and players, DVD players, digital cameras, or the like There is also a trend toward smaller and lighter portable electronic devices that limit the onboard battery size.
- FIG. 1 shows the capacity that can be delivered by a premium commercial alkaline AA cell under five discharge conditions intended to simulate various consumer electronics application loads (based on American National Standards Institute tests, Reference ANSI C18.1M, Partl-2001).
- the alkaline AA "bobbin" cell delivers nearly all of its theoretical capacity (about 3 Ah); at intermediate loads (electronic game/250 mA discharge, motorized toy/3.9 ohm discharge) about two-thirds of theoretical; and at moderately high to high drain rates (photoflash/1 Amp pulse, digital camera/1
- a typical alkaline manganese dioxide-zinc bobbin cell 10 comprises the following main units: a steel can 12, optionally coated with a conductive coating on the inside of the can, defining a cylindrical inner space, a manganese dioxide cathode 14 formed by a plurality of hollow cylindrical pellets 16 pressed in the can, a zinc anode 18 made of an anode gel and arranged in the hollow interior of the cathode 14, and a cylindrical separator 20 separating the anode 18 from the cathode 14.
- the ionic conductivity between the anode and the cathode is provided by the presence of potassium hydroxide, KOH, electrolyte added into the cell in a predetermined quantity.
- the can 12 is closed at the bottom, and it has a central circular pip 22 serving as the positive terminal.
- the upper end of the can 12 is hermetically sealed by a cell closure assembly which comprises a negative cap 24 formed by a thin metal sheet, a current collector nail 26 attached to the negative cap 24 and penetrating deeply into the anode gel to provide electrical contact with the anode, and a plastic top 28 electrically insulating the negative cap 24 from the can 12 and separating gas spaces formed beyond the cathode and anode structures, respectively.
- the material of separator 20 may consist of laminated or composite materials or combinations thereof.
- separator materials comprise an absorbent fibrous sheet material wettable by the electrolyte, and an insulating material being impermeable to small particles but retaining ionic permeability.
- the bobbin cell construction is a simple design that allows for high-speed, low- cost manufacturing, the surface area between the anode and cathode in a conventional bobbin cell is limited to the geometrical surface area of the cylinder of separator between the anode and cathode.
- the anode to cathode interfacial surface area (Sj) constituted by the interposed straight cylinder of separator is necessarily a fraction of the external surface area (S e ) formed by the cylindrical wall of the can [(Sj)/(S e ) ⁇ 1].
- the surface area of — and between — the electrodes of an electrochemical cell is understood to be an important design element, since the mass transport flux of ions between anode and cathode (typically slower than electron transfer or chemical kinetics) can be a rate limiting or current limiting physical process.
- the electrodes can be as thin as a few tenths of a millimeter and for the spirally wound cylindrical cell the anode to cathode interfacial surface area can be several multiples of the external surface area formed by the cylindrical wall of the can [(Sj)/ (S e ) » 1].
- the greater interfacial area comes at the expense of additional complexity and cost to manufacture. Spiral winding requires precision alignment of anode, cathode, and separator, with lower production rates and higher capital equipment costs than "bobbin" construction cells.
- the spirally wound design is not typically applied to the alkaline MnO 2 /Zn cell where it would defeat the economic advantage of the materials, but is applied to more premium electrochemical systems including rechargeable nickel cadmium (NiCd) and nickel metal hydride (NiMH) batteries, and non-rechargeable systems such as lithium iron disulfide (LiFeS 2 ) batteries.
- Another trade-off of the spiral wound design is the higher amount of separator and current collector required, which take up volume that could otherwise be utilized for active material. Since a standard size cylindrical cell has a fixed volume, it is most efficiently built with maximum active material and electrolyte in order to maximize its energy content.
- the brass nail anode current collector and cathode current collection via contact with the cylindrical container wall do not significantly intrude on the interior space.
- a spiral wound construction may deliver most of its energy efficiently for discharge rates on the order of 20 C (C refers to a current equivalent to the rated capacity of the cell in ampere-hours divided by 1 hour).
- C refers to a current equivalent to the rated capacity of the cell in ampere-hours divided by 1 hour.
- Such high rate discharge capability may be essential for applications such as power tools, however is not typically needed for consumer electronics. Even devices such as digital cameras typically operate at more moderate discharge rates on the order of 1/3 to 1C rate.
- 5,948,561 describes the use of a bisecting conductive plate coated with cathode active material to partition a V-folded tubular separator.
- Luo et al. in U.S. Patent No. 6,261,717 and Treger et al. in U.S. Patent No. 6,514,637 also describe the creation of multiple anode cavities that are in these cases molded into the cathode pellets. Getz in U.S. Patent No.
- 6,326,102 describes a relatively more complex assembly with two separate zinc anode structures in contact with the inner and outer contours of separator encased cathode pellets.
- Jurca in U.S. Patent No. 6, 074,781 and Shelekhin et al. in U.S. Patent No. 6,482,543 describe stepped interior or contoured interior surfaces of the cathode pellet.
- Shelekhin et al. in U.S. Patent No. 6,482,543, Lee et al in U.S. Patent No. 6,472,099 and Luo et al. in U.S. Patent No. 6,410,187 describe branched or lobed interior electrode structures.
- branched or lobed designs have limited ability to increase surface area unless the lobes are made thinner which makes applying separator and filling uniformly with gelled anode more difficult. If the lobes or branches are not thinner and longer then not much increase in surface is provided and the cell balance may be changed to be less efficient due to changes in relative cross-sectional area of the anode and cathode structures. Alignment of cathode pellets and breakage of pellets in lobed designs could make manufacture difficult.
- the present invention is intended to address these as well as other shortcomings in the prior art.
- one particular characterization of the present invention comprises an electrochemical battery cell comprising a cell housing defining an interior space having an interior surface, a first terminal and a second terminal.
- the cell further comprises an inner electrode encapsulated by a separator and disposed within the interior space of the housing.
- the inner electrode is in a folded configuration and is formed such that an outer extent of the inner electrode is generally conforming to a contour defined by the interior surface of the cell housing.
- the inner electrode is in electrical communication with the second terminal of the housing.
- An outer electrode is disposed within the interior space of the housing such that it is in ionic communication with the inner electrode and in electrical communication with the first terminal of the cell housing.
- the inner electrode is in an accordion-folded configuration or in a W-shaped configuration; the interior surface of the housing is in electrical communication with the first terminal and electrical communication between the outer electrode and the first terminal is established by contact between the outer electrode and the interior surface of the housing; and the inner electrode is an anode and the outer electrode is a cathode, wherein the first terminal has a positive polarity and the second terminal has a negative polarity.
- the inner and outer electrodes interface with each other to define an inter-electrode surface area (Si) and the cell housing further includes an exterior surface defining an exterior surface area (S e ).
- an electrochemical battery cell comprises a cell housing defining an interior space, a first terminal and a second terminal; and an electrode assembly disposed within the interior space of the housing.
- the electrode assembly comprises an inner electrode encapsulated by a separator and having a folded configuration, and an outer electrode having a folded configuration intermeshing with the folded configuration of the inner electrode.
- the electrode assembly is formed such that an outer extent of the electrode assembly is generally conforming to a contour defined by the interior surface of the cell housing.
- an electrochemical battery cell comprises a cylindrically-shaped cell housing defining an interior space, a first terminal and a second terminal.
- the cell further comprises an electrode assembly disposed within the interior space of the housing.
- the electrode assembly comprises a pair of outer electrodes and an inner electrode encapsulated by a separator and disposed between the outer electrodes.
- the electrode assembly has a folded configuration such that each of the electrodes intermeshingly engages the other.
- the electrode assembly is formed such that an outer extent of the electrode assembly is generally conforming to the cylindrically-shaped cell housing.
- an electrochemical battery cell comprises a cell housing defining an interior space, a first terminal and a second terminal.
- the cell further comprises an inner electrode having a linearly geometric configuration having a cross-sectional area substantially less than an exterior surface area of the inner electrode and disposed within the interior space of the housing.
- the inner electrode is encapsulated by a separator and in electrical communication with the second terminal of the housing.
- the cell further comprises an outer electrode material disposed and formed within the interior space of the housing such that the inner electrode is embedded therein.
- the outer electrode is in ionic communication with the inner electrode and electrical communication with the first terminal of the cell housing.
- an electrochemical battery cell comprises a cell housing defining an interior space, a first terminal and a second terminal.
- the cell further comprises an electrode assembly disposed within the interior space of the housing.
- the electrode assembly comprises an inner electrode encapsulated by a separator and an outer electrode.
- the electrodes are intermeshed together to from an interface and compressed such that an outer extent of the electrode assembly is generally conforming to a contour defined by the interior surface of the cell housing.
- the inner electrode is in electrical communication with the second terminal of the housing and the outer electrode is in electrical communication with the first terminal of the housing.
- a method of manufacturing an electrochemical battery cell comprising the steps of: providing a battery cell housing including an interior space, a first terminal and a second terminal; providing an inner electrode having a substantially flat configuration and encapsulated by a separator; providing an outer electrode having a substantially flat configuration; disposing the outer electrode adjacent the inner electrode; folding the inner and outer electrodes together into a folded configuration; forming the inner electrode such that an outer extent of the electrodes is generally conforming to a contour defined by the interior space of the cell housing; and disposing the electrodes within the interior space of the housing such that the outer electrode is in electrical communication with the first terminal of the cell housing and the inner electrode is in electrical communication with the second terminal of the cell housing.
- FIG. 1 is a graph depicting the approximate discharge capacity in Ah for various ANSI type tests for a current commercial premium AA cell (prior art) and a AA cell embodiment in accordance with the present invention.
- FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional elevational view of a typical cylindrical cell having a bobbin- type construction.
- FIG. 3 is a graph depicting cell potential versus discharge capacity for 1 Amp discharge of an embodiment in accordance with the present invention compared to a commercial cell of the prior art.
- FIGS. 4A and 4B are cross-sectional elevational and plan views, respectively, of an embodiment of the present invention incorporating a linearly geometric inner electrode.
- FIG. 1 is a graph depicting the approximate discharge capacity in Ah for various ANSI type tests for a current commercial premium AA cell (prior art) and a AA cell embodiment in accordance with the present invention.
- FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional elevational view of a typical cylindrical cell having a bobbin- type construction.
- FIG. 5 A is a cross-sectional plan view of a preferred embodiment incorporating a corrugated fold electrode assembly in accordance with the present invention.
- FIG. 5B is a partial cross-sectional elevational view of the embodiment of FIG. 5A.
- FIG. 5C is an assembly view of the embodiment of FIG. 5 A.
- FIG. 5D is a perspective view of an electrode assembly prior to formation to fit within a housing, in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
- FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional plan view of an embodiment in accordance with the principles of the present invention having a corrugated fold anode embedded in a cathode material.
- FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram depicting various stages in an assembly sequence in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
- FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram depicting an assembly in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
- FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram depicting an assembly in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
- FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an electrode assembly prior to formation to fit within a housing, in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
- FIG. 11 is an assembly view of an embodiment in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
- the present invention provides a simple and effective design of a battery cell, such as a cylindrical cell, with balanced energy and power characteristics intermediate between the bobbin and spiral wound designs and which retains the advantages of both designs, i.e., low cost, simple manufacturing with higher power, and high internal volume utilization for energy efficiency. In an embodiment, this is achieved by providing a significant but balanced increase of anode to cathode interfacial surface area in conjunction with thinner, high ionic conductivity, electrode structures.
- the present invention also provides a better balanced alkaline "modified" bobbin design which can be applied to various cell sizes including AAA, AA, C, D and others, so that higher capacity is available at higher drain rates while the favorable energy storage characteristics are retained.
- FIG. 1 An exemplification of this higher capacity benefit of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1, which demonstrates that the present invention provides a more balanced utilization profile of a AA size cylindrical cell through increased capacity available at higher drain rates, when compared to a commercial high rate alkaline bobbin cell.
- FIG. 1 An exemplification of this higher capacity benefit of the present invention is shown in FIG. 1, which demonstrates that the present invention provides a more balanced utilization profile of a AA size cylindrical cell through increased capacity available at higher drain rates, when compared to a commercial high rate alkaline bobbin cell.
- FIG. 3 shows a comparison of the voltage curves for a conventional alkaline cell compared to the voltage curve under the same discharge conditions for a cell in accordance with the principles of the present invention.
- a cell in accordance with the principles of the present invention delivers approximately twice the capacity as the conventional alkaline cell on a 1 ampere discharge to a 1.0 volt cutoff, with approximately equivalent cumulative capacity out as discharge is continued over a 3.9 ohm resistor.
- An effective way to characterize the ability of the invention to provide a well-balanced ratio of power to energy is to perform certain tests on assembled cells.
- the particular test utilized consists of a series of discharge steps to evaluate performance at a high rate discharge followed by a lower rate discharge to evaluate total capacity delivery capability.
- the specifics of the test for a AA size cell are: (1) a continuous discharge at 1.0 A to a voltage cutoff of 1.0
- a capacity delivery ratio can be calculated by dividing the capacity delivered to 1.0 V at 1.0 A (Civ) to the total capacity delivered (C T ) in the test.
- FIGS. 4 A and 4B show an embedded inner electrode design, which is one possible implementation of the current invention.
- a battery cell 30 includes a cell housing 31a defining an interior space 31b of the battery cell 30.
- the cell housing 31a includes a first terminal Tl and a second terminal T2 for facilitating electrical connection of the cell 30 and electrical communication with other elements of the cell 30.
- the cell 30 further includes an inner electrode 32, such as an anode, having a thin cross section 32A in a linearly geometric configuration in the form of an asterisk-like shape, which utilizes a plurality of linear elements 32B.
- Other linearly geometric configurations can be implemented as well, such as a cross-like shape or any other geometry comprising linear elements or similar elements having relatively thin cross sections, i.e., thickness dimensions of its linear elements, compared to the cross section of the cell housing in a similar plane.
- the inner electrode has a thickness dimension substantially less than a dimension extending across a maximum span of a cross section of the cell housing taken in parallel to the thickness dimension.
- the inner electrode 32 comprises a porous solid extruded composite, which is made of active materials, conductive material and additives.
- An internally formed current collector 33 may also be included.
- the inner electrode 32 is disposed within the interior space 31b of the housing 30.
- the inner electrode 32 is encapsulated by a separator 34 and in electrical communication with the second terminal T2 of the housing 30.
- An outer electrode material 35 such as a cathode material, is disposed and formed within the interior space 31b of the housing such that the inner electrode 32 is embedded therein and forming an outer electrode 36.
- the outer electrode 36 is in ionic communication with the inner electrode 32 and electrical communication with the first terminal Tl of the cell housing 30.
- an electrode interface is defined, which can be further defined by an inter-electrode surface area.
- FIGS. 4A and 4B a significant and balanced increase of anode to cathode interfacial surface area is achieved by virtue of the electrode geometry.
- thinner, high ionic conductivity, electrode structures are achieved by virtue of the thin cross sections of the inner electrode. Performance characteristics of the cell can be changed by changing the electrode geometry, which affects the interfacial surface area between the electrodes.
- the elements 32B can be thinner and longer than lobes or branches of prior art designs.
- the inner electrode 32 may be extruded into a shape that has thin elements 32B only 0.040 - 0.080 inches thick, whereas the equivalent anode diameter in a conventional AA alkaline cell would be about 0.30 inches. In this case, the inner electrode 32 can be accessed from each side of the element
- the conformal coated separator 34 can be applied to an external surface 37 of the inner electrode 32 by dipping or spraying — rather than attempting to apply a separator to the inner surface of a complex geometry outer electrode as with prior designs.
- the outer electrode 36 can then be applied around the separator encased inner electrode 32, either external to the cell housing 31 or after the inner electrode is disposed within the cell housing 31.
- the inner electrode 32 in the form of an anode and having a linearly geometric configuration, can be inserted into the housing 31 which can then filled with a cathode powder and pressed to form an embedded inner electrode 32.
- Another way of achieving the embedding of the inner and outer electrodes in the cell housing would be to bend or fold the electrodes together externally to the housing to form an electrode geometry, mold the electrodes into a shape or contour conforming to the housing, and then inserting them together into the housing. Referring now to FIGS.
- an electrochemical battery cell 40 includes a cell housing 41a defining an interior space
- the cell housing 41a includes a first terminal Tl and a second terminal T2 for facilitating electrical connection of the cell 40 and electrical communication with other elements of the cell 40.
- the cell further includes an electrode assembly 42 disposed within the interior space 41b of the housing 41a.
- the electrode assembly 42 comprises an inner electrode 43 encapsulated by a separator 44 and an outer electrode 45.
- the inner electrode and the outer electrode have a thin cross section and are in a folded configuration, such as a "W" folded configuration as shown in FIG. 5D, or other folded configuration such as an accordion fold, such that each of the intermesh with each other. Referring to FIG.
- the electrode assembly 42 is formed such that an outer extent 46 of the electrode assembly 42 is generally conforming to a contour 47 defined by an interior surface 48 of the cell housing 40.
- the inner electrode 43 is in electrical communication with the second terminal T2 of the housing 41a and the outer electrode 45 is in electrical communication with the first terminal Tl of the housing 41a.
- the interior surface 48 is preferably in electrical communication with the first terminal Tl, such that electrical communication between the outer electrode 45 and the first terminal Tl can be established by contact between the outer electrode 45 and the interior surface 48 of the housing
- the inner electrode 43 can be wrapped or conformal coated with the separator 44 and then sandwiched or intermingled with an outer electrode 45 to form the electrode assembly 42.
- the resulting electrode assembly can then be shaped into various geometries to fit into the housing 41a, as shown in FIG. 5C.
- the interface between the inner and the outer electrodes is thus not a uniform cylinder, as with prior designs, but may be of complex shape such that the separator covered surface of the encapsulated inner electrode will have an external surface area that is greater than the surface area of a conventional bobbin cell, but less than the surface area of a conventional spirally wound cell.
- the encapsulated inner electrode is thinner than in a conventional bobbin cell but not as thin as in spiral wound cell.
- the design achieves a better balance of surface area so that less separator and current collector is used for the encapsulated electrode cell than for a conventional spiral wind design thereby increasing the volume available for active material and thus the energy content.
- the inner electrode 43 and separator 44 can be embedded in an outer electrode material.
- the outer electrode material can be applied within the housing 41a after the inner electrode 43 is disposed therein, and pressed to form an embedded inner electrode 43 within the cathode material.
- the inner electrode 43 and separator 44 can be folded into a folded configuration, such as a "W" configuration, and then formed into a geometry generally conforming to the shape of the cell housing 41a.
- This inner electrode 43 can then be embedded into a cathode material 45 that is extruded into a geometry generally conforming to the shape of the cell housing 41a.
- the extruded cathode material/embedded anode results in an electrode assembly that can then be disposed within the cell housing 41a.
- the present invention facilitates an increase in anode to cathode interfacial surface area such that the ratio of inter-electrode surface area (Sj) to external surface area of the cell container or housing (S e ), i.e., (Sj)/(S e ), may be in the range of 2 to 8 for a AAA or AA cell, (or possibly higher for larger diameter cell sizes like C or D) in order to markedly enhance high rate discharge characteristics.
- the increased interfacial area provides for a cell design with internal resistance that is a fraction of that of a bobbin cell constructed of equivalent materials.
- the impedance measured at 1 KHz was 70% or less of that of a conventional bobbin cell.
- Power and energy content are better balanced so that the present invention retains greater than 70 - 80% of the energy content of a conventional bobbin at moderate rate while increasing the utilization at high power.
- a particular embodiment of the present invention provides an inner electrode that has thinner average through-thickness measure than the equivalent inner electrode in a conventional bobbin cell. By thinning the inner electrode through-thickness the surface area can be increased significantly by lengthening the cross dimension so that approximately the same optimal anode to cathode cell balance can be maintained.
- a conventional alkaline AA size bobbin cell has a cathode ring wall thickness of approximately 0.1 to 0.15 inches and an anode core thickness of approximately 0.2 to 0.3 inches, whereas an alkaline AA cell in accordance with the principles of the present invention may have a cathode thickness of approximately 0.035 to 0.070 inches and an anode thickness of only
- Another benefit of the present invention is the increased utilization of the inner electrode at high discharge rates.
- a conventional bobbin cell has a low utilization at high rates because of the internal cylindrical geometry.
- the anode to cathode interfacial surface area is constantly decreasing. This effectively increases the current density at the discharging inner electrode surface and leads to shutdown of the discharge reaction due to transport limitations. Increasing the surface area and thinning the inner electrode maintain a more uniform current density throughout the discharge leading to increased utilization of the inner electrode material.
- the longitudinal dimensions of the inner and outer electrodes are approximately equal to the full internal height of the container minus the height required for the seal, which is typically at least 70% of the internal height so that the electrode composite occupies nearly the full length of the container and maximizes energy content.
- the outer electrode is preferably formed to be in direct contact with the interior surface of the housing and current collection from this outer electrode is principally via contact with and through the metal housing.
- the inner electrode is encased in separator and then embedded in an outer electrode matrix material, or sandwiched or formed with the inner electrode, wherein an insulated lead is brought out and then inserted into the housing so that the outer electrode contacts the inner surface of the housing.
- an alkaline manganese dioxide-zinc cell comprising a manganese dioxide cathode, a zinc anode, a separator between the anode and cathode, and an aqueous alkaline potassium hydroxide electrolyte.
- the anode has a non-circular cross section with a short diffusion length relative to a conventional bobbin design anode such that the capacity of the active material is more distributed throughout the interior of the cross-section and cumulative cross-sectional perimeter which is more than twice the cell housing diameter.
- the anode is wrapped in separator and embedded in the cathode matrix which fills the space between the anode and the interior surface of the housing uniformly.
- the cell has a well-balanced ratio of power to energy and gets good capacity utilization at high discharge rate. In the case of a AA cell, this is exemplified by achieving greater than 1.2 Ah on a 1 Amp to 1 Volt discharge test.
- the present invention provides a cell comprising a substantially planar or substantially flat separator encapsulated zinc anode and one or two planar shaped cathodes that are formed into a an accordion fold shape and then the whole cathode/anode assembly molded to fill the container.
- the cathode structures are formulated such that they have the necessary physical integrity and electronic conductivity to permit handling in high speed production as well as to provide good electron transfer characteristics from the interior of the folds to the cell container wall. This can be accomplished by formulating the composite cathode with conductive fillers, reinforcing materials, binders or carrier webs.
- a particular means of achieving the necessary mechanical and electronic properties may be to apply a metal foil or mesh to the outer face of the cathode mass such that this metal structure provides an electronic contact to the interior surface of the housing and a continuous electrical connection to the interior of the folds.
- a method of manufacturing an electrochemical battery cell comprising the steps of: (A) providing a battery cell housing including an interior space, a first terminal and a second terminal; (B) providing an inner electrode having a thin and substantially flat configuration and encapsulated by a separator; (C) providing an outer electrode having a thin and substantially flat configuration; (D) disposing the outer electrode adjacent the inner electrode; (E) folding the inner and outer electrodes together into a folded configuration; (F) forming the inner electrode such that an outer extent of the electrodes is generally conforming to a contour defined by the interior space of the cell housing; and (G) disposing the electrodes within the interior space of the housing such that the outer electrode is in electrical communication with the first terminal of the cell housing and the inner electrode is in electrical communication with the second terminal of the cell housing.
- a method of manufacturing an electrochemical battery cell in the case of forming the outer electrode within the housing comprises the steps of: (A) providing a battery cell housing including an interior space, a first terminal and a second terminal; (B) providing an inner electrode having a thin cross section in a linearly geometric configuration and encapsulated by a separator; (C) disposing the inner electrode within the interior space of the housing such that it is in electrical communication with the second terminal of the cell housing; (D) disposing an outer electrode material within the interior space of the cell housing such that the inner electrode is embedded therein and is in electrical communication with the first terminal of the housing; and (E) pressing the outer electrode material disposed within the interior space of the cell housing.
- FIG. 7 illustrates the sequence whereby the preferred embodiment may be manufactured by a series of process steps from parts with simple geometries and low orientation requirements.
- Step I a planar cathode/separator-wrapped-anode/cathode stack is placed in a forming die, with the metal substrate on each cathode facing out from the stack.
- Step II a planar cathode/separator-wrapped-anode/cathode stack
- Step III shaped blades are pushed into the die cavity in a manner to cause folding and shaping of the stack.
- Figure 7 shows the final shaping operation to compress and mold the stack into a cylinder prior to insertion in the housing or can.
- a simple method of manufacturing is provided by which a preferred embodiment is achieved.
- two cathodes are formed onto die punched metal substrates and placed adjacent to a centrally placed separator encased anode structure.
- the electrodes are intermingled and shaped by shaping dies applied perpendicular to the long axis of the electrodes.
- the final die is a concentric clamshell that forms the outer extent of the electrodes to conform to a contour or shape of the cell housing, such as a cylinder.
- the die After forming, the die opens slightly to allow the cylindrically formed integrated electrodes to be pushed into a cell housing positioned adjacent to the forming die. After the electrode assembly is in the housing, additional KOH electrolyte may be added to the top of the open housing for absorption into the electrodes as it passes to the next operation in sequence.
- the partially assembled cell at this stage has an approximately centrally placed insulated anode lead wire protruding from the top of the housing. This lead is passed through the center of a plastic bottom seal, and welded to an interior surface of a bottom cover, which is then oriented into its proper placement on the seal. Cell closing and finishing operations are equivalent to a conventional bobbin cell process.
- the steps that form the improved cell design of the present invention can be readily translated to automated high-speed production.
- This formation sequence can be envisioned as replacing certain unit operations in a conventional bobbin cell manufacturing plant, with one or more of the steps being similar to those for conventional bobbin manufacturing.
- Cathode and gelled zinc anode mixing processes for example are expected to be reasonably similar as for conventional bobbin making.
- Certain of the modified bobbin assembly process operations may even be carried out with altered forms of the basic process equipment now used, with equivalent throughput rates.
- the following examples apply to a general purpose MnO 2 /Zn AA cell that can provide greater runtime in a digital camera application, that is, the cell can deliver more capacity on a 1 Amp to 1 Volt discharge compared to a conventional Mn0 2 /Zn AA cell.
- the energy content of the cell is not excessively compromised such that reasonable capacity is still available at a moderate rate (3.9 ohm) discharge.
- Example cells were tested with a 1 Amp discharge to 0.8 Volt, recording the capacity achieved when the cell potential reaches 1 Volt, thereby simulating the ANSI digital camera test. After a 30 minute rest, there is an additional discharge step at 3.9 ohms to 0.7 volts.
- the 1 Amp to 1 Volt capacity (Civ), total capacity delivered (CT), and capacity ratio (C R ) tabulated below, are indications of the high rate and low rate capacity utilization efficiency.
- the data in Table 1 relates to the specific examples presented and shows that the invention increases utilization on the digital camera test while not affecting utilization on low rate tests, demonstrating the benefit of the present invention over the prior art.
- the examples refer to AA cells in Ni-coated steel cans of standard dimensions.
- the cathode formulation may be of any type that is typical of primary alkaline cells consisting of EMD ( ⁇ -Mn0 ), conductive powder, and the remainder being other additives such as binders and electrolyte.
- the electrolyte is an aqueous alkaline solution of usually 4N to 12N potassium hydroxide.
- the electrolyte may contain dissolved zinc oxide, ZnO, surfactants and other additives, so as to reduce the gassing of the active zinc within the negative electrode.
- the Mn0 cathode premix formulation used in Examples I- VI consisted of a premix of Kerr-McGee High Drain EMD 69.4%, Acetylene Black 5.2%, KS-15 Graphite 2.6%, PTFE-30 Suspension 0.4%, and 9 N KOH 22.4%, on a weight basis. Mixing was carried out in a Readco mixer, ball mill, or other suitable mixer. The cathode premix was further mixed in the ratio of 100 g of mix to lg PTFE-30 suspension and 10 g of 9 N KOH solution in order to improve the pasting characteristics and for adhesion to the Ni substrate. The standard substrate was non- annealed expanded metal (Dexmet 3 Ni5-077). Seven grams of the cathode formula was pressed onto the substrate in a Carver press to give a cathode assembly thickness of about 0.047 inches. There was some loss of electrolyte (approx. 0.5 - 1.0 g) on pressing.
- EXAMPLE 1 This is an example of the "embedded corrugated-fold" design as shown in FIGS. 5A-5D.
- a porous solid electroformed zinc is utilized as the anode.
- a planar electroformed zinc is utilized as an anode sub- assembly 51 of approximately 1.5" W x 1.625" H.
- the electroformed zinc anode sub-assembly 51 was formed by pasting a zinc oxide/binder slurry 63 onto a thin metal substrate 64 of silver or copper with an attached insulated lead 62 and then electroforming in an alkaline bath.
- the anode sub-assembly 51 was then washed and dried, and heat-sealed in a pouch of Scimat 700/70 separator 52 to form an anode assembly 55.
- the anode used was approximately 4.7 g in the dry state and 0.045 inches dry thickness including substrate and lead.
- the dry anode assembly 55 was soaked in 9 N KOH for at least one hour prior to being folded into a loose corrugated "W" shape 53.
- Two planar MnO 2 cathodes coated onto a perforated metal substrate 54 and with an overlay of 9 N KOH soaked KC 16 absorber were placed, such that one was on each side of the anode and folded to conform as intermeshing "W's" 56, resulting in an electrode assembly in the form of a corrugated stack 57.
- the corrugated stack 57 was pressed and molded into a cylindrical shape 58 in a compression die with a 0.500 inch to 0.515 inch diameter bore prior to insertion into a cell housing or can 59.
- the thickness of the electrode stack 57 was adjusted so that it was not too thin to fill the can after forming or too thick so as become over compressed losing porosity and electrolyte on insertion into the can 59.
- a sealing bead 60 was formed in the upper part of the can 59.
- the anode lead 62 was attached to a lid 63 and the can was closed to form a complete cell 64.
- EXAMPLE 2 This example illustrates the "embedded corrugated-fold" design shown in FIGS. 5A-5D, specifically utilizing pasted zinc in an anode sub-assembly.
- This anode is fabricated from zinc powder using an extrusion or pasting process to form an anode sheet.
- the anode sub-assembly was prepared by mixing powdered metallic zinc or zinc alloys and zinc oxide together with a Kraton binder and Shellsol solvent. The mixture was pasted onto a 0.002 inches thick perforated copper foil substrate with an attached lead and the solvent was allowed to evaporate. The sub- assembly was then wrapped in an SM700/70 separator to form the anode assembly.
- the dry anode assembly was soaked in 9 N KOH for at least one hour prior to being folded into a loose corrugated "W" shape.
- Two planar MnO 2 cathodes coated onto a perforated metal substrate and with an overlay of 9 N KOH soaked KC16 absorber were placed, such that one was on each side of the anode and folded to conform as intermeshing "W's.”
- the corrugated stack was pressed and molded into a cylindrical shape in a compression die with a 0.500 inch to 0.515 inch diameter bore prior to insertion into the housing or can.
- the thickness of the electrode stack was adjusted so that it was not too thin to fill the can after forming or too thick so as become over compressed losing porosity and electrolyte on insertion into the can.
- a sealing bead was formed in the upper part of the can.
- the anode lead was attached to the lid and the can was closed to form a complete cell.
- EXAMPLE 3 This example illustrates the "embedded corrugated-fold" design shown in FIGS. 5A-5D utilizing zinc gel to form the anode assembly.
- the zinc gel comprised powdered metallic zinc or zinc alloys and optionally zinc oxide together with a suitable gelling agent such as carboxymethyl cellulose, polyacrylic acid, starches, and their derivatives.
- An anode current collector with an attached lead was placed in a pouch prepared out of the Scimat SM700/79 separator and 7 g of the gel was added into the pouch which was then heat sealed at the bottom to form the anode assembly.
- EXAMPLE 4 This example illustrates the "embedded corrugated-fold" design shown in FIGS. 5A-5D utilizing zinc gel with added zinc fibers to form the anode assembly.
- the zinc gel comprised powdered metallic zinc or zinc alloys, 5% of Alltrista 1/8" zinc fibers, and optionally zinc oxide together with a suitable gelling agent such as carboxymethyl cellulose, polyacrylic acid, starches, and their derivatives.
- An anode current collector with attached lead was placed in a pouch prepared out of a Scimat SM700/79 separator and 7 g of the gel/fiber mix was added into the pouch which was then heat sealed at the bottom to form the anode assembly.
- Mn0 2 cathodes coated onto a perforated metal substrate and with an overlay of 9 N KOH soaked KC16 absorber were placed, such that one was on each side of the anode assembly and folded to conform as intermeshing "W's.”
- the corrugated stack was pressed and molded into a cylindrical shape in a compression die with a 0.500 inch to 0.515 inch diameter bore prior to insertion into the housing or can.
- the thickness of the electrode stack was adjusted so that it was not too thin to fill the can after forming or too thick so as become over compressed losing porosity and electrolyte on insertion into the can. After insertion into the can, a sealing bead was formed in the upper part of the can.
- the anode lead was attached to the lid and the can was closed to form a complete cell.
- Other manifestations of the "embedded corrugated-fold" design of the present invention are anticipated.
- the assembly and process variables such as: anode weight, anode soak time, degree of compression, cathode formulation, cathode substrate, and cathode-to-can current collection can be "fine tuned” to maximize electrical performance of the embedded "W" design.
- Almost all of the cells were built with the 0.515 inch diameter compression die which was adapted over the previous standard 0.5 inch diameter die based largely on the clear observation that less electrolyte is squeezed out during assembly. It is important to retain enough electrolyte in the cell to facilitate performance.
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Abstract
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PCT/US2004/015160 WO2005022671A1 (en) | 2003-09-02 | 2004-05-14 | Cylindrical battery cell having improved power characteristics and methods of manufacturing same |
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- 2004-05-14 CA CA002537684A patent/CA2537684C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2004-05-14 US US10/846,020 patent/US7264904B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 2004-05-14 WO PCT/US2004/015160 patent/WO2005022671A1/en active Application Filing
- 2004-05-14 EP EP04752234A patent/EP1671381A4/en not_active Withdrawn
- 2004-05-14 JP JP2006525314A patent/JP4749333B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
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Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
JP4749333B2 (en) | 2011-08-17 |
JP2007504620A (en) | 2007-03-01 |
US7264904B2 (en) | 2007-09-04 |
WO2005022671A1 (en) | 2005-03-10 |
EP1671381A1 (en) | 2006-06-21 |
CA2537684C (en) | 2010-01-05 |
US20050048364A1 (en) | 2005-03-03 |
CA2537684A1 (en) | 2005-03-10 |
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